It costs money to bring a big-time bass tournament to town – as much as $2 million or more for a tour championship. And anyone who's watched the sport over the past half-decade must know that Shreveport-Bossier City, La. is spending like crazy to attract big-time events. It's set to hold its second Bassmaster Classic in 4 years next February. It's played host to FLW Tour events, EverStarts, Bassmaster Opens and even the TBF National Championship. But wherever there's money, you can expect a political fight, and one's brewing in Shreveport right now. The root of the matter seems to involve who's going to control the contracts and money that brings the tournaments and other sporting events to town.
Shreveport initially made its run at big events and landed the Classic by way of the Shreveport Regional Sports Authority (SRSA), headed by executive director Mary Ann Tice. She has since left the SRSA, and recently, a rival organization formed which calls itself the Shreveport Bossier Sports Commission (SBSC). The Caddo Parish Commission's involved too, because it functions much like a city council in other states and holds the purse strings.
According to news reports in the region, the Caddo Commission withheld payments to the SRSA, which the SRSA needed to honor promises to organizations like FLW Outdoors and to stay afloat. The Commission apparently agreed to then release the funds to the SRSA with the stipulation the SRSA give up all rights to the Classic contract.
After some back and forth, the SRSA ultimately said no way, it wouldn't surrender the Classic, and the war continues. The problem now is, the SRSA holds the Classic contract, but doesn't have the money to pay B.A.S.S. That money has to come from the Caddo Parish, which seems partial to the newly formed SBSC.
It's confusing, but words like extortion, dirty politics, abuse of power and more have been thrown around amidst the heat as the SRSA tries to stay afloat and in possession of the Classic contract.
The latest story on the controversy, written by Jimmy Watson and published in the Shreveport Times, can be found here.
